Chapter 11: Kyle
I was alone during Operation Tornado, assigned in directly in front of the cafeteria doorway. I was placed exactly in front of the concert, which only meant that I was considered to be the last resort. After the Battlefront caught on to the "I-hate-Naylor" thing, I was placed a good distance away from that newcomer. I couldn't say I wasn't happy with that arrangement. I didn't want anything to do with that jerk. He upset Alexis.
Then again... So did I.
I sighed and sat down, leaning against the cafeteria doorway, and placed my halberd on the ground next to me. I'd messed up. Really badly, this time. It would've been the perfect time to tell her...
I cried out with rage and punched the concrete ground, not caring how badly it may have hurt my fist. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Ever since that amnesiac came here this afternoon, everything went downhill from there. Now nothing seemed to be turning out right.
I remembered all that had happened this afternoon. What a crazy day.
When I'd heard that the amnesiac was in our headquarters, I'd gone after him to straighten him out. When I'd heard that he had become one of us, I was furious, of course, but there was nothing that I could do about it. Alexis herself had let him in. There was no way I could go against Alexis, no matter what.
I remembered when I went up to the roof earlier today to get some fresh air, I saw Alexis there, leaning on the railing, just gazing out at the the sunset. I was just about to join her when I saw who she was with.
Leaning against the railing beside her, was Naylor.
It made my blood boil, seeing someone like him with someone like her. I still didn't forgive him for first rejecting her. Rejecting her very ideas, her philosophy.
I was just about to go after him when something happened that stopped me in my tracks.
He made Alexis laugh. She laughed that beautiful laugh that put me in a trance. It sounded like a symphony, sweet and harmonious. I never wanted it to end. I savored the few seconds that it lasted, for this was a sound that I rarely heard.
When reality finally dragged me back, I realized what had just happened. Alexis actually seemed to like being with this guy. He made her smile that beautiful smile, and laugh that sweet laugh, something that I couldn't do myself. I didn't want to get in the way of something like that, even if it did involve that jerk. As quietly as I could, I closed the door to the rooftop and walked back downstairs, taking in what I had just seen.
At the bottom of the stairs, Jared was waiting for me, oddly enough, and looking serious about it.
He leaned against the wall. "What happened?" He asked expectantly.
"Nothing," I muttered as I tried to shove past him.
He moved to the side, blocking my path again.
"Are you sure about that?" He asked, nodding towards something behind me, and I turned around to see what it was.
It was Alexis. And she looked concerned.
"Kyle? Jared?" She asked, her eyes darting back and forth between us. "What's going on?"
"N-nothing..." I said, looking away. Had she seen me on the roof?
This would've been the perfect time to tell her. Three words. 'I love you'.
Just three simple words...
But all I did was mumble, "Everything's fine..." and mentally slap myself. What happened to me when I was with her? It's like my brain didn't work right.
Alexis' voice filled with concern. "Kyle..." she said softly. "Is something wrong?"
I slowly raised my eyes and saw that her aqua eyes were now full of worry.
She put her hand on my shoulder, and that's when I noticed just how small her hands were, not much bigger than a child's. Or maybe mine are just too big and clumsy. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Yeah..." I muttered, looking away again. Funny, how I could stare into her eyes for an eternity, but as soon as she looked back, I instinctively looked away. Ironic.
"Kyle, are you alright?" She put her other hand on my other shoulder. She was so small and soft and warm. Her head just barely reached my shoulders, and she smelled nice, like an ocean breeze.
I loved having her this close to me. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, to pull her closer, but I didn't dare. After all, this was only a gesture of sympathy. Nothing more.
"I-I'm fine..." I stuttered, slightly in shock that she was this close to me. Not that I didn't like it.
She slowly put her hands down, and I saw that she was looking at me with worried turquoise eyes.
"Kyle..." she said uncertainly, "I... I just..." She hesitated for a moment. "Just take care, all right?"
I did nothing but grunt in response. What the heck was wrong with me? Talk to her!
She gave me one last look of concern before opening and walking out the the door that led to the school hallway. That's when I noticed that Jared was gone.
I sighed and walked towards the door. That was a side of Alexis that I'd never seen before. What I just saw was so unlike the tough, fighting side of Alexis that I was used to. It was a bit disarming, but it was nice.
I was just about to put my hand on the doorknob when suddenly it turned and the door opened, and in walked Jared with a triumphant look on his face.
"Well, now," he said with a smirk. "It definitely looks like something has happened."
And I was too dazed by my meeting with Alexis to argue.
I was yanked back to the present when I heard a loud sound breaking through the silence.
Actually, the night wasn't silent anymore. Now I could hear the girls putting on another diversion concert from inside the cafeteria.
I peeked in from a nearby window and saw that everything was going according to plan. Several meal tickets were already being blown away by the fans. Perfect. It was all going smoothly...
That's when I heard a piercing noise. It sounded like... a gunshot? I looked around, and off in the distance I saw something, but I couldn't quite make out what it was.
Just then, I heard a nearby voice call out, "Kyle!"
I looked around and found that the voice turned out the be Maria's. She was calling out from the second floor window of the cafeteria.
"Naylor needs your help," she said as she pointed to the shadowy figures off in the distance.
I looked more closely at the distant figures, and I recognized Naylor's shaggy brown hair, along with his trembling hands as he aimed his gun at another figure with long white-blonde hair... and a sword.
Not good.
"Is that Angel?" I asked, even though I probably knew the answer already.
Maria nodded. "He needs help, and you're closest."
ME help HIM? No way... But... if Angel made it into the cafeteria, Alexis would NOT be happy...
...Argh! But why'd it have to be Naylor?
I heard another gunshot then, as if to stress the urgency.
"Kyle!" Maria cried. "Go help him!"
I heard two more gunshots. They were getting closer. I guess it wasn't like Naylor would really die...
"Kyle!" Maria practically pleaded.
"Augh! All right! Fine!" I growled in frustration as I picked up my halberd and ran off.
Maria owed me big time...
